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We’re game for a laugh at Iris, as you may have gathered, and all the boys at Iris were (initially) excited at the prospect of getting involved in this year’s Movember. That is, until they realised that actually meant growing and having a moustache (on their face!) for an entire month!

Not ones to be uncharitable, they roped a more game, slightly more gullible fellow to do the dirty work for them. Enter Michael Barker, top software tester at Applied Cytometry; our medical software specialist client over in Dinnington but also loving (and rather spruce) fiancée of our very own Stephanie, Project Manager extraordinaire.

According to Movember rules, the participant must be clean shaven on the 1st November so it was a nervous Nov 1st for Michael’s partner, Stephanie, who had to endure a clean shaven Michael for the first time during their five year courtship.

“It seems he has a bottom lip that I’ve never been introduced to before, it was tough, but I’m adjusting.” Stephanie said.

For those who are unfamiliar with Movember, it is an annual campaign held in November, that aims at raising funds and awareness for men’s health. The proceeds of this year’s campaign are going to The Prostate Cancer Charity and they are doing a sterling job, raising over £30 million globally to date to help fight against prostate cancer and depression. The UK aint doing too badly in 2009’s campaign either, coming third in the global ranking, earning a whopping £1,750,509 so far.

Michael has some way to go before he gets to his elected moustache style, The Magnum, but he’s currently top of his group’s (aptly named, Team Testes), leader board with over £100 in the kitty so far, and with the rest of November to go, who knows what he’ll total.

Two and a bit weeks in and the progress is slow going, which has turned out to be somewhat of a surprise to the normally hair faced Michael, and proving a testing (you see what I did there?) time for Stephanie.

“It’s a slow burner but I’m confident that by the end of November I’ll have a mo to be proud of, and if not, I’ll keep growing the thing until it is!” Explained Michael.